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A Kentucky State University legend was recently inducted the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, joining the six-member class of 2019.

William Exum was a trailblazer as an athlete and an athletics administrator. Exum served Kentucky State University as athletics director from 1949 to 1977; chairman of the Department of Health and Physical Education and track, tennis and cross-country coach. Exum led the Kentucky State men’s cross-country team to the 1964 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship.

Prior to his career at Kentucky State, Exum was the first African American football player at the University of Wisconsin and earned three letters there in track in the 1930s.

Exum served as head manager of the USA men’s Olympic track and field team in 1972 and 1976. Exum also served as a member of the Athletics Congress of the USA Olympic Track and Field Committee; the selection committee of the National Track Hall of Fame and the chairman of the National Youth Summer Sports Administrative Committee.

The National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) inducted Exum into its hall of fame in 1978.

Kentucky State University President M. Christopher Brown II was in attendance to give an acceptance speech on behalf of Exum. Other members of the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame class of 2019 included Derek Anderson, Deion Branch, Ralph Hacker, Willis Augustus Lee and Nate Northington.

The Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1963 to recognize athletes and sports figures who are Kentucky natives, as well as individuals who participated in their respective sport or made a significant impact in their sport in Kentucky.